el presente
/el pɾesente/from spelling rules
The English phrase "the present" is translated into Spanish as el presente.
In more formal settings, you might use the phrase En el presente to mean "In the present" or A día de hoy to mean "As of today".
Which one should you use?
Use el presente when referring to the current time period, but use el regalo when you are referring to a physical gift or present.
How does it change in a sentence?
When discussing a grammatical tense, such as "the present tense", the article el is often omitted in technical contexts, although el presente remains the standard way to refer to the concept of the present time.
How do you pronounce it?
/el pɾesente/
Did you know?
- While el presente means 'the present' time, the word presente is also used in classrooms or roll calls to mean 'here'.
- In legal or highly formal documents, you might see the phrase el presente used to refer to the document itself. For example, el presente documento means 'this document'.
- If you want to say 'the present moment' in a more poetic or philosophical sense, Spanish speakers often prefer el ahora, which translates literally to 'the now'.
Examples in context
- Dejá el pasado atrás y preocupate por el presente.Leave the past behind and take care of the present.This sentence shows how to use el presente in the context of focusing on the current time.Tatoeba #1619661 by hayastan, translation #2416213 by marcelostockle
- Un anciano es un puente entre el pasado y el presente.An old person is a bridge between the past and the present.This sentence uses el presente to describe a connection between the past and the current time.Tatoeba #3142014 by hayastan, translation #505783 by wma
- Algunos ancianos viven más en el pasado que en el presente.Some old people live more in the past than in the present.This sentence illustrates the use of el presente when comparing living in the past versus the present.Tatoeba #2192705 by marcelostockle, translation #12979206 by araneo
- Tú estudias mucho.You study a lot.
- Yo juego videojuegos.I play video games.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are discussing how to live life more mindfully.
- DanielA veces olvido disfrutar el presente.Sometimes I forget to enjoy the present.
- MaríaEs importante vivir en el presente, Daniel.It is important to live in the present, Daniel.
- Daniel¿Cómo puedo enfocarme más en el presente?How can I focus more on the present?
- MaríaTrata de observar todo lo que te rodea ahora.Try to observe everything around you now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
